Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the vaccine critic who created a movement he calls “Make America Healthy Again,” moved a step closer to becoming the nation’s Secretary of Health on Wednesday after the Senate voted along party lines to advance his nomination, setting the stage for a final confirmation vote, likely on Thursday.
The vote, 53 to 47, was a stunning display of Republican support for President Trump, who embraced Kennedy, the heir to a liberal Democratic dynasty, and promised to “let him clear the way” for health. This was also a sign of Kennedy’s strength; immediately after Trump’s election, many observers thought he would not be able to secure confirmation, reports NYT, as relayed by Klankosova.tv.
Kennedy’s outspoken criticism of vaccination made many Republicans very uneasy. During his confirmation hearings, he refused to accept the scientific consensus that vaccines do not cause autism, dismissing large-scale studies that found no such link.
However, at the same time, Kennedy declared his support for the measles and polio vaccines and pledged that, as Secretary of Health, he would not do anything to prevent or discourage people from taking those vaccines.
